UM: Grad Researchers

An editorial in the Detroit News argues that a recent decision by the University of Michigan board of regents – recognizing the rights of graduate student research assistants to unionize – will drive up costs at the university. The decision was approved on a 6-2 vote, with the board’s two Republican regents dissenting: “The Democratic regents were elected with labor money, and that they would serve labor’s interests can be expected. The Democratic argument that the researchers are employees is particularly flimsy, given that the Michigan Employment Relations Commission previously ruled their work as researchers is indistinguishable from their role as students, and therefore they shouldn’t be considered employees. But who cares about expert rulings when you’ve got labor bosses to please?” [Source]